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;ASURING  MIN 

AN  EXAMINERS  MANUAL 
TO  ACCOMPANY 

IE  MYERS  MENTAL  MEASURE 


EWSON  &  COMPANY 


MEASURING    MINDS 

AN  EXAMINER'S  MANUAL 
TO  ACCOMPANY 

THE  MYERS  MENTAL  MEASURE 


BY 
CAROLINE  E.  MYERS 


GARRY  C.  MYERS,  Ph.D. 

HEAD     OP    DEPARTMENT     OP    PS/CIIOLOCJY, 
CLEVELAND    SCHOOL   OF   EDUCATION      ' 


NEWSON   &   COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  AND  CHICAGO 


v 


COPYRIGHT,  1920, 
BT  CAROLINE  E.  MEYERS 

COPYRIGHT,  1921, 
BT  NEWSON  &  COMPANY 


All  rights  reserved 
(1) 


PREFACE 

THIS  Manual  attempts  to  give  the  aims,  purposes,  and  appli- 
cation of  intelligence  tests  in  general  and  of  The  Myers  Mental 
Measure  in  particular.  It  is  written  with  the  hope  that  it  will 
be  of  aid  to  all  who  use  intelligence  ratings  regardless  of  what 
test  is  used. 

The  authors  take  a  conservative  attitude  toward  the  functions 
of  intelligence  tests,  pointing  out  some  of  their  shortcomings 
but  at  the  same  time  attempting  to  show  how  the  ratings  of 
intelligence  tests  can  be  used  to  bring  the  best  results. 

The  Myers  Mental  Measure  is  offered  to  supply  a  very  practical 
need  of  a  group  intelligence  test: 

1.  That  is  a  single  continuous  scale  of  a  few  pages  applicable 
to  all  ages. 

2.  That  correlates  pretty  highly  with  Stanford-Binet. 

3.  That  is  independent  of  school  experience;    that  finds  the 
bright  child  who  would  not  ordinarily  be  found  in  terms  of  his 
school  performance. 

4.  That  any  teacher  can  learn  to  give  accurately  and  that  any 
clerk  can  learn  to  score  with  precision. 

5.  That  is  brief  and  simple,  yet  scientific. 

In  this  Manual  are  presented  graphs  and  tables  which  the 
authors  offer  in  evidence  of  their  belief  that  The  Myers  Mental 
Measure  meets  with  the  above-named  criteria. 

General  and  specific  directions  for  giving  and  scoring  the  tests 
are  presented  together  with  norms  based  on  over  15,000  cases 

3 

477572 


MEASURING    MINDS 

AN  EXAMINER'S  MANUAL 

THE   MYERS  MENTAL  MEASURE:    ITS  MEANING 

AND  USE 

AIMS  OF  INTELLIGENCE  TESTS 
Intelligence  tests  aim: 

1.  To  aid  the  Administrator. 

(a)  To  classify  his  children  on  the  basis  of  native  capac- 
ities; especially  to  pick  out  children  of  marked  ability. 

(&)  To  measure  the  efficiency  of  his  school  organization 
and  his  teachers  by  checking  up  the  school  product  with  the 
abilities  of  the  children  concerned. 

2.  To  aid  the  teacher. 

(a)  To  know  what  to  expect  of  herself  and  her  individual 
pupils. 

(6)  To  be  more  keenly  aware  of  individual  difference. 

3.  To  aid  the  employer. 

(a)  To  make  a  hasty  classification  of  his  employees, 
especially  to  find  early  his  foremen  and  other  leaders. 

How   INTELLIGENCE   TESTS    DIFFER   FROM   EDUCATIONAL 

MEASUREMENTS 

Educational  tests  and  measurements  have  been  used  for 
a  number  of  years  in  the  public  schools  with  great  success. 

5 


Along  come  the  intelligence  tests  to  supplement  educational 
ir-cssu'rements  making  them  more  'effectual.  Wherein  do 
the  two  types  of  tests  differ?  Educational  measurements 
are  a  kind  of  yardstick  designed  to  evaluate  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  school  performance.  By  them  the  school 
man  can  determine  how  well  his  children  do,  in  arithmetic  or 
writing  or  reading,  say,  as  compared  with  the  average  per- 
formance of  several  thousand  children  of  different  school 
systems  in  that  school  subject.  Moreover,  by  these  educa- 
tional measurements  in  one  or  more  school  subjects  the 
performance  by  one  group  of  children,  or  by  one  school 
system  can  be  compared  with  the  performance  by  other 
groups  or  systems. 

While  actual  school  performance  is  thus  measured  con- 
siderable information  about  the  intelligence,  or  capacity  to 
learn,  is  also  obtained.  In  other  words,  how  well  a  child 
can  read,  or  write,  or  spell,  or  do  arithmetical  sums,  tells 
something  about  that  child's  intelligence.  To  get  on  well 
in  school  presupposes  a  certain  degree  of  native  capacity 
to  learn.  However,  common  observation  suggests  that  not 
all  who  get  on  well  in  school  do  so  because  of  marked  native 
ability.  With  a  reasonable  amount  of  it  some  children 
achieve  much  because  of  their  excessive  zeal  and  industry. 
Likewise,  often  those  who  have  a  great  capacity  to  learn 
get  on  poorly.  Educational  measurements  tell  only  how  the 
child  has  got  along  in  school.  To  determine  how  he  ought 
to  get  along  in  school  is  the  aim  of  the  intelligence  tests. 
They  aim  to  tell  what  the  child  should  do  and  with  what 
relative  speed  he  ought  to  learn;  while  educational  measure- 
ments tell  with  what  speed  he  has  learned.  Intelligence 

6 


tests  are  prospective;  educational  measurements  retro- 
spective. Of  the  two  therefore  the  former  are  the  more 
fundamental.  By  them  the  latter  are  rendered  more 
effectual  and  certainly  more  scientific.  Unless  the  relative 
learning  ability  of  two  or  more  groups  of  children  is  known, 
their  degree  of  performance  can  not  be  accurately  adjudged. 
It  is  not  what  a  given  child  or  group  of  children  actually 
do  in  school  work  that  is  significant,  but  what  they  do  in 
relation  to  their  native  abilities.  The  intelligence  test 
measures  relative  native  abilities.  It  is  obviously  desir- 
able, therefore,  that  an  intelligence  test  should  be  inde- 
pendent of  school  experience. 

KINDS  OF  INTELLIGENCE  TESTS 

Before  the  late  War  there  were  in  use  several  intelligence 
tests,  chief  of  which  were  the  original  Simon  Binet,  Ter- 
man's  Stanford  Revision  of  Binet,  Goddard's  Revision  of 
Binet,  and  Yerkes-Bridges'  Point  Scale.  Such  tests  were 
pretty  highly  standardized  and  have  been  considered  to 
measure  intelligence  with  a  high  degree  of  accuracy.  But 
they  are  all  designed  to  test  only  one  person  at  a  time, 
requiring  from  twenty  minutes  to  an  hour  for  each  examina- 
tion. When  the  army  testing  began  it  was  readily  seen 
that  although  the  available  individual  tests  could  not 
easily  be  improved  upon  in  accuracy,  to  use  these  measures 
was  far  too  slow  a  procedure.  Tests  were  needed  to 
examine  several  hundred  at  a  time.  To  supply  this  need 
there  were  developed  the  Army  group  tests,  Alpha  for  those 
who  could  read  and  write  English,  Beta  for  those  who  were 
illiterate  in  English.  Out  of  the  Army  testing  have  grown 

7 


a  number  of  group  intelligence  tests  adapted  to  school 
children.  Most  have  been  an  irritation  of  Alpha  with 
emphasis  on  language  exercises,  applying,  consequently, 
only  to  the  upper  grades  and  high  schools.  A  few  authors, 
imitating  Beta,  have  developed  tests  for  the  first  few  grades 
only.  The  authors  of  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  have 
combined  many  of  the  best  principles  of  Alpha  and  Beta  and 
Stanford-Binet  into  a  single  continuous  scale  consisting 
wholly  of  pictures  and  applicable  to  all  ages  and  degrees 
of  school  experience.  Each  section  of  this  test  sets  tasks 
easy  and  simple  enough  for  the  kindergarten  child  and  at 
the  same  time  other  tasks  hard  enough  for  the  university 
student.  In  this  respect  this  test  is  unique. 

DESIRABILITY   OF   COMPLETE   INTELLIGENCE   SURVEYS   OF 

SCHOOLS 

Although  the  Army  tests  were  applied  to  whole  com- 
panies, whole  regiments,  and  whole  divisions  at  a  time,  most 
testing  in  schools  to  date  has  been  spasmodic,  on  a  few 
classes  or  a  few  grades  here  and  there,  in  a  given  school 
system.  The  first  complete  intelligence  survey  of  a  city 
school  system  of  any  size  was  made  by  Supt.  S.  H.  Layton 
of  Altoona,  Pa.  In  this  survey  The  Myers  Mental  Measure 
was  used  because  it  could  be  given  to  all  ages  and  grades 
of  children  including  high  school  seniors.* 

Since  that  time  other  cities  have  been  surveyed  in  a  like 
manner.  All  the  children  of  a  city,  however  large,  can  thus 
be  tested  in  a  single  day  or  half  day,  by  a  single  continuous 
scale. 

*See  Annual  Report  of  the  Altoona  Public  Schools,  June,  1920. 

8 


By  such  a  survey  the  superintendent  can  get  a  con- 
centrated record  of  all  children  of  a  given  grade.  He  can 
compare  the  intelligence  ratings  by  the  children  of  the 
various  classes  within  this  grade.  Moreover,  he  can  com- 
pare the  ratings  by  each  grade  with  those  by  every  other 
grade,  since  the  same  scale  is  used  throughout.  When  he 
follows  up  by  his  educational  measurements  he  can  deter- 
mine how  a  given  grade  overlaps  in  amount  of  school  per- 
formance, the  grades  above  it  and  below  it.  With  like 
overlapping  of  the  grades  in  the  intelligence  ratings  he  can 
make  comparisons  that  will  be  very  significant. 

Whole  counties  of  rural  schools,  just  as  whole  cities,  have 
been  surveyed  by  this  single  group  intelligence  scale. 
.  Spasmodic  testing,  although  not  ideal,  is  worth  while. 
Some  of  the  best  information  available  on  the  value  of 
intelligence  tests  has  come  through  such  procedure. 
Indeed,  any  supervisor,  principal,  or  teacher  can  profit 
by  the  use  of  an  intelligence  test,  however  limited,  if  the 
ratings  therefrom  are  used  to  advantage. 

GETTING  READY  FOR  AN  INTELLIGENCE  SURVEY 
If  a  given  school  system  is  to  have  an  intelligence  survey, 
detailed  preparation  should  be  made  quietly  after  the  fash- 
ion of  getting  ready  to  "go  over  the  top."  Let  the  super- 
intendent, or  an  expert  designated  by  him,  coach  the  prin- 
cipals and  those  of  the  teachers  selected  to  give  the  tests. 
Let  every  tester  be  imbued  with  the  idea  that  the  directions 
are  to  be  followed  to  the  letter  and  that  in  order  "to  put 
over"  these  directions  each  tester  must  be  very  familiar 
with  them  and  with  the  process  of  precise  reading  of  "sec- 

9 


onds"  on  a  watch.    Accurate  timing  of  each  test  is  of  the 
greatest  importance. 

GETTING  THE  CHILDREN  READY 

At  the  appointed  hour  for  beginning  the  test  in  each  build- 
ing, those  testing  should  be  careful  to  make  sure  that  the 
children  are  comfortable  and  that  they  assume  a  cooper- 
ative attitude.  To  the  lower  grade  children  this  test  may 
be  referred  to  by  the  tester  as  a  game  to  be  played  by  set 
rules.  To  those  of  the  upper  grades,  and  especially  of  the 
high  school,  this  test  should  be  referred  to  seriously  as  a  test, 
ratings  by  which  to  be  matters  of  official  records.  But  in 
no  case  should  there  be  the  slightest  suggestion  that  will 
excite  or  disturb  those  taking  the  test. 

In  case  the  teacher  tests  her  own  children  the  greatest 
danger  is  that  the  children  will  not  take  the  test  with 
sufficient  seriousness  and  that  the  teacher  will  still  main- 
tain her  teaching  attitude  toward  the  children.  Therefore, 
in  spite  of  her  desire  to  follow  the  instructions  of  the  manual 
verbatim  she  will,  unless  very  careful,  be  prone  to  vary 
toward  giving  undue  advantage  to  her  children.  Every 
teacher  who  tests  needs  to  be  cautioned  strongly  on  this 
point. 

INTELLIGENCE  RATIO 

The  sum  of  the  points  made  on  The  Myers  Mental  Measure 
is  known  as  the  raw  score.  For  the  purpose  of  comparing 
grades  and  schools  by  this  test  this  raw  score  is  all  that  is 
necessary.  But  for  all  other  purposes  this  raw  score  should 
be  considered  in  relation  to  chronological  age.  Anyone 
can  readily  see  that  a  child  of  nine  years  who  makes  a 

10 


raw  score  of  40  points  is  much  superior  to  the  nine  year  old 
child  who  makes  a  score  of  only  15  points.  Hence  the  best 
measure  is  an  intelligence  ratio  computed  by  dividing  the 
raw  score  by  the  age-in-months.  For  example,  Willie 
Winger  has  a  raw  score  of  23.  He  is  109  months  of  age. 
Willie  Winger  has  an  intelligence  ratio  of  .21.  It  is  obvious 
that  if  a  child  is  old  for  his  grade  he  may  make  a  relatively 
high  raw  score.  If  however,  that  score  is  divided  by 
the  chronological  age-in-months  of  that  child  his  score 
(intelligence  ratio)  will  be  greatly  reduced  in  value.  Prob- 
ably that  child  will  actually  rank  relatively  low  in  his  class 
just  as  he  probably  should,  since  most  over-aged  children 
of  a  given  grade  are  in  that  grade  because  of  their  relatively 
inferior  intelligence.  The  Intelligence  Ratio  is  very  simple. 
Anyone  can  compute  it.  Anyone  can  understand  it.  It 
admits  of  no  confusion.  It  is  a  very  reliable  measure.  It 
can  be  derived  from  any  group  intelligence  test. 

INTELLIGENCE  RATIO  SHOULD  NOT  BE  CONFUSED  WITH  THE 

INTELLIGENCE  QUOTIENT  OF  AN  INDIVIDUAL  TEST 
Unfortunately  in  the  first  edition  of  this  Manual  the 
Intelligence  Ratio  was  called  Intelligence  Quotient.  Of 
course  this  term  was  not  incorrect  but  it  was  slightly  ambigu- 
ous to  some.  However,  it  was  clearly  explained  there  to  mean 
"  Raw  Score  divided  'by  chronological  age-in-months." 
Owing  to  the  danger  of  its  being  confused  with  the  more 
traditional  use  of  the  Intelligence  Quotient  (I.  Q.)  the  more 
appropriate  name,  Intelligence  Ratio,  has  been  adopted. 


11 


MEANING  OF  I.  Q. 

The  term  I.  Q.  has  been  used  very  carelessly,  often  in 
almost  complete  ignorance  by  its  user,  especially  the  lay- 
man. 

Terman  first  used  it  in  his  Stanford  Revision  of  the  Binet 
Test.  For  each  part  of  that  test  correctly  passed  by  the 
child  a  certain  number  of  months  are  credited.  The  total 
of  all  these  points  scored  by  the  child  equals  that  child's 
mental  age-in-months.  The  child's  mental  age-in-months 
(raw  score)  divided  by  his  chronological  age-in-months  gives 
the  intelligence  quotient  (I.  Q.)  of  that  child.  Let  it  be 
remembered,  however,  that  each  credit  the  child  earns  in 
the  Stanford-Binet  is  in  terms  of  months,  and  that  no  group 
test  gives  a  score  in  such  terms. 

Of  course,  if  the  total  number  of  points  earned  in  Stan- 
ford-Binet is  divided  by  twelve  the  mental  age  of  that  child 
will  be  in  terms  of  years.  Then  if  this  mental  age-in-years 
is  divided  by  that  child's  chronological  age-in-years  the 
same  I.  Q.  may  be  derived  as  if  the  divisor  and  dividend  had 
each  been  in  months. 

Analogous  to  such  a  procedure  an  I.  Q.  as  generally  used 
in  relation  to  group  tests  may  be  derived  from  The  Myers 
Mental  Measure.  To  illustrate,  a  given  child  making  35 
points  is,  on  the  average,  10  years  old.  We  may  say  that 
he  has  a  mental  age  of  10  years.  See  table,  page  55.  Sup- 
pose this  child  were  9  years  old.  Then  his  intelligence 
quotient  is  10  divided  by  9  or  1.11.  This  procedure  is  in 
keeping  with  common  usage  with  group  tests  but  it  is 
obviously  not  very  accurate.  Moreover,  the  term,  intel- 
ligence quotient,  suggests  an  identity  with  an  I.  Q.  of  a 

12 


standardized  individual  test,  and  consequently  suggests 
clinical  attributes.  Therefore  the  authors  of  The  Myers  Men- 
tal Measure  do  not  recommend  its  use.  They  prefer  the 
intelligence  ratio — raw  score  divided  by  chronological 
age-in-months,  as  the  more  accurate  and  as  unambiguous. 

But  how  can  scores  by  different  tests  be  compared  except 
by  intelligence  quotients?  Save  in  terms  of  ranking  they 
never  can  be  compared  with  accuracy,  intelligence  quotient 
or  no  intelligence  quotient.  Ratings  by  any  two  intelli- 
gence scales  are  not  wholly  commensurate.  Why  not 
admit  it?  The  ratings  by  any  scale  have  a  meaning  in 
respect  to  that  scale  and  nothing  more.  This  fact  makes 
all  the  more  desirable  a  single  scale  that  is  continuous, 
that  measures  the  first  grade  child  and  at  the  same  time  the 
university  student, — in  short,  that  measures  intelligence 
for  all  ages.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  a  scale  for  the 
first  two  or  three  grades,  another  for  the  next  few  grades, 
and  so  on,  how  can  the  ratings  of  the  lower  scale  ever  be 
compared  with  the  ratings  by  the  higher  scale?  Suppose, 
for  example,  a  given  scale  that  applies  only  to  the  first  three 
grades  is  used,  and  a  second  scale  that  applies  only  to  the 
next  five  grades,  how  can  the  ratings  by  the  second  and  third 
grades  be  compared  with  the  ratings  by  the  fourth  and  fifth 
grades?  They  never  can  be  compared. 

COMPILATION  OF  DATA 

Although  every  teacher  will  want  the  individual  scores  of 
her  pupils  and  will  want  constantly  to  check  up  with  the 
school  progress  of  each  pupil  in  relation  to  this  intelligence 
rating,  the  administrator  and  supervisor  will  be  interested 

13 


most  in  the  ratings  by  the  groups.     How  shall  he  proceed 
to  study  them? 

The  first  step  is  to  condense  the  data  into  larger  units. 
With  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  it  has  been  convenient 
to  group  the  individual  ratings  as  follows : 


RAW  SCORE 


INTELLIGENCE  RATIO 


Score 

Number  Cases 

Score 

Number  Cases 

1-  5 

1 

.01-.  05 

1 

6-10 

4 

.06-.  10 

5 

11-15 

6 

.11-.  15 

8 

16-20 

5 

.16-.  20 

4 

21-25 

1 

.21-.  25 

1 

Under  "Raw  Score"  one  reads,  for  example,  "One  case 
scored  between  1  and  5  points;  4  cases  scored  between  6  and 
10  points,  etc."  A  mere  glance  at  this  table  tells  the  reader 
a  great  deal  about  the  group.  In  like  manner  the  intelli- 
gence ratio  can  be  read. 

One  can  represent  graphically  the  raw  score  thus: 


6 
5 

4 
3 

2 

r 


i 

J£ 
O 


14 


The  spaces  on  the  base  line  between  the  points  are  the 
values  or  scores.  Each  block  represents  a  case.  From  the 
graph  one  also  reads:  "One  case  scored  between  1  and  5, 
4  cases  scored  between  6  and  10,  etc." 

This  picture  is  called  the  "  distribution  graph. "  If, 
instead  of  the  angular  boundaries,  the  edges  were  smoothed 
the  graph,  would  look  like  this : 


i        i        i        i        i        i 

»«  **  *-•  W  **  Ol 

V*       O       Oi       O       ^       O 

Whether  in  blocks  or  in  curves  the  trend  taken  is  that  of 
the  Normal  Probability  Curve  of  Distribution. 

MEANING  OF  THE  NORMAL  PROBABILITY  CURVE  OF 
DISTRIBUTION 

The  table  above  from  which  this  graph  is  derived  is  a 
fictitious  one.  However,  if  one  were  to  measure  10,000 
individuals  of  homogeneous  groups,  i.e.,  groups  whose 
common  element  measured  is  an  indispensable  element,  one 
would  find  a  distribution  similar  to  that  indicated  above 
but  a  better  one. 

Suppose  one  were  to  measure  the  head  circumference  of 
10,000  male  Americans  of  Irish  descent,  21  years  of  age. 
One  would  find  a  large  number  of  heads  of  about  aver- 

15 


age  circumference.  For  each  decreasing  unit  in  circum- 
ference the  number  would  grow  smaller  as  well  as  for  each 
increasing  unit  in  circumference;  Let  these  measures  from 
the  smallest  head  among  the  10,000  to  the  largest  head 
among  them  range  in  measures  represented  by  a,  b,  c}  d,  e, 
f,  g,  h,  i.  Representing  these  measures  graphically  one 
would  get  the  following  distribution : 


ABCDEPGHI 

Whatever  one  were  to  measure  in  the  biological  world 
would  distribute  after  this  fashion,  if  the  number  of  cases 
were  great  enough  and  if  they  represented  random  sampling 
of  sufficiently  homogeneous  groups. 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  a  smooth  curve  of  distribution, 
or  one  closely  after  the  normal  probability  curve,  can  not 
always  be  expected  for  small  groups,  since  relatively  small 
numbers  have  a  poor  chance  to  be  wholly  representative. 

If  an  intelligence  test  distributes  its  scores  within  each 
age  and  grade  after  the  manner  of  the  normal  distribution, 
that  test  would  seem  to  be  a  highly  reliable  one.  Let  us 
see  what  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  does. 

On  pages  18  and  19  are  graphically  presented  distribu- 
tions, by  raw  scores  and  by  intelligence  ratios,  for  each  age 

16 


and  grade  of  the  3,092  elementary  school  children  of  the 
East  Cleveland  schools,  by  this  test.  On  page  21  are 
graphic  distributions  of  the  raw  scores  by  810  high  school 
seniors  (and  of  the  intelligence  ratios  by  182  of  these),  of 
the  raw  score  by  128  entrants  to  a  city  normal  school,  by 
260  elementary  school  teachers,  by  493  college  students,  and 
by  170  boys  of  a  school  for  "  Incorrigibles."  The  intelligence 
ratios  are  in  hundredths  while  the  raw  scores  are  in  integral 
numbers. 

MEDIAN  SCORES  BY  EAST  CLEVELAND 
(3,092  cases) 

BY  GRADES  REGARDLESS  OF  CHRONOLOGICAL  AGE 

Number  cases 446  380  380  393  382  371  388  352 

Grades I  II  III  IV  V  VI  VII  VIII 

Raw  score 14  24  30  38  41  44  48  54 

Intelligence  ratio 17  .25  .29  .31  .31  .31  .30  .32 

BY  CHRONOLOGICAL  AGES  REGARDLESS  OF  GRADES 

Number  cases. ..    116  384  375  374  347  392  324  371  269  110  27 

Ages 6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16 

Raw  score 12  16  26  32  37  41  46  49  51  47  47 

Intelligence  ratio   .14  .19  .27  .29  .31  .31  .32  .31  .30  .27  .24 

By  comparing  these  medians  with  the  medians  of  the 
larger  groups  (see  pages  54  and  55),  which  are  offered  as  the 
Norms  for  this  test,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  East  Cleveland 
scores  range  relatively  high,  as  would  be  expected,  this 
being  a  suburban  city. 

For  the  raw  scores  by  grades  the  medians  are  indicated 
graphically  illustrating  an  added  means  of  showing  inter- 
relation of  all  groups  within  an  entire  school  system. 

17 


Distribution  Graphs  of  3,092  Elementary  School  Children  of  East 
Cleveland  by  Ages.  (The  ages  are  represented  by  the  numerals 
between  the  pairs  of  graphs.) 


RAW  SCORE 


INTELLIGENCE  RATIO 


•T  f  T  7  ?  ¥  ?  ¥  ?  ¥  7  7  T  ¥  7  7  ?  7  * 


¥  ?  ¥  7  7  T  ¥  7  7 

g£SS2S32S 


is  sgS 


18 


Distribution  Graphs  Continued  of  3,092  Elementary  School  Chil- 
dren of  East  Cleveland  by  Ages.  (The  ages  are  represented  by 
the  numerals  between  the  pairs  of  graphs.) 

RAW  SCORE  INTELLIGENCE  RATIO 


to 

13 
10 
5 

SCORE0 


gss;  s  is  sa  s  ss 


19 


RAW  SCORE 


INTELLIGENCE  RATIO 


•iiliniiifii 


20 


Distribution  Graphs  by  Raw  Score  of  810  High  School  Seniors  at 
Graduation,    128    Normal    School   Entrants    260   Elementary 
School  Teachers,  493  College  Students  and  170  "Bad  Boys 
also  by  Intelligence  Ratio  of  182  High  School  Seniors. 

RAW  SCORE  INTELLIGENCE  RATIO 


Percent 
Cases 
15 

10 
5 


"BatfBoys  School 


El.  Teachers 


Tlormal  School 


High  School 


21 


These  graphs  show  conclusively  that  the  ratings  by  The 
Myers  Mental  Measure  distribute  in  very  close  accord- 
ance with  the  probability  curve  of  normal  distribution  re- 
gardless of  the  age  and  school  experience  of  the  groups 
studied;  what  some  experts  have  contended  could  not  be 
done. 

Space  will  not  admit  of  the  tables  of  distribution  from 
which  these  graphs  are  constructed  but  the  medians  are 
presented  on  page  20. 

Since  the  groups  represented  by  the  graphs  do  not  have 
the  same  number  of  cases  all  the  numerical  distributions 
were  reduced  to  a  percentage  basis.  To  illustrate,  the  raw 
scores  for  Grade  II,  East  Cleveland  are  thus  reduced: 

Score 0        1-5        6-10     11-15     16-20     21-25 

Number  of  cases 1          5  21  39          77  74 

Percentage  of  cases 26      1.31       5.52      10.27     20.26     19.47 

Score 26-30  31-35    36-40    41-45     46-50  51-55 

Number  of  cases 72         50          25  8  6  2 

Percentage  of  cases 18.9513.16     6.58      2.11       1.58        .52 

Such  a  reduction  on  the  scale  of  100  per  cent  is  always 
desirable  when  such  groups  are  compared  by  distribution 
graphs. 

All  the  tables  of  distribution  from  which  the  graphs  are 
built  are  incorporated  in  the  larger  distribution  tables  below, 
which,  in  turn,  incorporate  also  like  tables  from  the  school 
children  of  Cleveland,  Altoona,  Painesville,  0.,  Cleveland 
Heights,  0.,  Western  Reserve  University,  Ohio  Wesley  an 
University,  Hiram  College,  Lake  Erie  College,  and  Wooster 
College.  For  the  college  group  the  cases  are  pretty 
evenly  distributed  among  the  four  years. 

22 


The  medians  derived  from  these  total  distribution  tables 
are  offered  as  tentative  norms  for  The  Myers  Mental 
Measure.  They  appear  at  the  foot  of  the  tables  and  again, 
in  a  more  condensed  form,  on  pages  54  and  55. 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  RAW  SCORES  BY  GRADES 
15,241  cases 


Grades         K 

I 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

VII 

VIII 

Score 

0                  5 

23 

6 

2 

1-     5         17 

244 

99 

13 

8 

2 

0 

1 

6-  10         11 

329 

195 

59 

24 

6 

0 

2 

11-  15          7 

338 

233 

155 

56 

26 

2 

4 

16^  20          1 

213 

294 

253 

137 

57 

17 

25 

21-  25          3 

137 

246 

332 

193 

134 

59 

39 

6 

26-30          1 

74 

168 

297 

248 

243 

102 

89 

33 

31  -  35 

26 

106 

234 

291 

325 

187 

144 

74 

36-  40 

21 

55 

169 

276 

317 

255 

196 

151 

41-  45 

5 

19 

110 

194 

277 

240 

215 

201 

46-50 

14 

55 

111 

220 

217 

249 

251 

51-  55 

7 

24 

47 

144 

143 

234 

209 

56-  60 

5 

12 

27 

89 

123 

143 

211 

61-  65 

. 

. 

2 

10 

55 

55 

121 

137 

66-  70 

3 

4 

15 

45 

78 

103 

71-  75 

.  . 

.  . 

1 

1 

8 

26 

20 

67 

76-  80 

. 

. 

1 

3 

12 

24 

62 

81-  85 

2 

1 

7 

14 

23 

86-  90 

4 

1 

15 

91-  95 

.  . 

.  . 

. 

. 

. 

1 

6 

4 

95-100 

. 

. 

_ 

3 

3 

101-105 

0 

0 

105-110 

1 

0 

111-115 

0 

116-120 

1 

•• 

Total  cases   45 

1,410 

1,447 

1,721 

1,630 

1,922 

1,495 

1,610 

1,550 

Median       6  .  2 

12.6 

19.2 

26.8 

33.6 

38.6 

43.6 

47.8 

52.4 

23 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  RAW   SCORES   BY   GRADES    (Continued) 

15,241  cases ; 

IX  X  XI  XII         Normal      Elem.       Col- 

School     Teachers      lege 


0 
1-    5 
6-  10 
11-  15 
16-  20 

1 

1 

21-  25 

0 

2 

1 

26-  30 

1 

2 

2 

8 

5 

0 

3 

31-  35 

9 

5 

2 

13 

2 

1 

2 

36-  40 

19 

4 

2 

27 

3 

13 

8 

41-  45 

40 

25 

8 

43 

8 

14 

23 

46-  50 

39 

28 

15 

85 

13 

25 

35 

51-  55 

48 

36 

19 

90 

18 

39 

43 

56-  60 

49 

37 

27 

100 

12 

35 

48 

61-  65 

28 

28 

24 

94 

24 

22 

53 

66-  70 

29 

20 

15 

101 

12 

37 

51 

71-  75 

25 

25 

19 

78 

9 

26 

58 

76-  80 

5 

11 

13 

65 

7 

15 

62 

81-  85 

11 

17 

6 

40 

6 

17 

45 

86-  90 

6 

3 

4 

28 

1 

4 

30 

91-  95 

2 

4 

1 

18 

5 

8 

16 

96-100 

1 

2 

14 

.  . 

1 

11 

101-105 

1 

1 

3 

1 

3 

106-110 

2 

2 

0 

3 

111-115 

1 

1 

Total  cases 

311 

249 

160 

810 

128 

230 

493 

Median 

55.9 

59.3 

62.0 

63.0 

61.0 

61.4 

69.3 

24 

DISTRIBUTION  OF  RAW  SCORES  BY  AGES 
10,859  cases 


Age  

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

Score 

0 

10 

13 

4 

0 

1 

1 

1-  5 

138 

104 

50 

25 

11 

4 

3 

3 

1 

2 

0 

1 

6-  10 

145 

198 

107 

62 

26 

14 

6 

6 

1 

1 

0 

0 

11-  15 

101 

274 

156 

101 

54 

31 

11 

17 

4 

3 

0 

1 

16-  20 

59 

225 

205 

165 

110 

53 

33 

20 

10 

4 

2 

0 

21-  25 

35 

172 

202 

215 

149 

95 

47 

32 

22 

8 

1 

0 

26-  30 

13 

103 

189 

236 

148 

135 

88 

61 

38 

13 

5 

2 

31-  35 

8 

47 

140 

209 

200 

193 

134 

114 

56 

33 

7 

2 

36-  40 

5 

29 

86 

176 

219 

216 

166 

142 

105 

64 

8 

3 

41-45 

1 

11 

40 

126 

133 

189 

167 

156 

121 

56 

9 

0 

46-  50 

0 

7 

30 

63 

105 

150 

158 

161 

151 

70 

15 

2 

51-  55 

1 

5 

13 

30 

80 

98 

122 

155 

100 

41 

10 

1 

56-  60 

1 

6 

23 

31 

67 

101 

113 

108 

44 

11 

0 

61-  65 

1 

2 

6 

18 

37 

45 

87 

68 

40 

3 

2 

66-  70 

1 

3 

8 

22 

45 

58 

44 

19 

5 

2 

71-  75 

5 

7 

21 

38 

38 

11 

6 

1 

76-  80 

2 

4 

6 

27 

34 

19 

3 

0 

81-  85 

3 

2 

8 

7 

18 

7 

2 

0 

83-  90 

0 

3 

5 

7 

3 

1 

2 

91-  95 

0 

2 

1 

2 

4 

96-100 

1 

2 

1 

3 

101-105 

.  . 

0 

106-110 

1 

Total  cases  516  1191  1237  1440  1304  1318  1169  1204    928    445      88       19 
Median       9.7  16.1  23.2  29.2  34.8  39.1  43.9  47.6  49.5  48.7  50.0  47.2 

25 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  INTELLIGENCE  RATIO  BY  GRADES 
11,827  cases' 


I 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

VII 

VIII 

XII 

00 

23 

6 

2 

.01-. 

05 

209 

102 

19 

15 

3 

.06-. 

10 

265 

172 

80 

54 

23 

6 

11 

1 

.11- 

15 

298 

245 

195 

135 

81 

42 

25 

24 

6 

.16- 

.20 

230 

284 

268 

241 

224 

126 

118 

95 

18 

.21- 

.25 

166 

229 

273 

272 

334 

256 

251 

238 

44 

.26- 

.30 

109 

172 

284 

334 

367 

288 

232 

352 

46 

.31- 

.35 

58 

130 

176 

279 

292 

240 

245 

341 

41 

.36- 

.40 

28 

50 

95 

161 

177 

174 

157 

226 

19 

.41- 

.45 

15 

27 

58 

87 

108 

95 

77 

140 

6 

.46- 

.50 

2 

15 

28 

27 

57 

48 

41 

46 

2 

.51- 

.55 

4 

8 

12 

16 

19 

24 

11 

11 

.56- 

.60 

2 

6 

3 

6 

10 

7 

4 

2 

.61- 

.65 

0 

0 

0 

2 

1 

5 

3 

1 

.66- 

.70 

1 

1 

2 

1 

•  • 

•  • 

2 

0 

.71- 

.75 

1 

•• 

•• 

•• 

•• 

1 

Total  cases  1410     1447     1496     1630     1696     1311     1177     1478       182 

Median  .145     .195     .244     .275     .285     .299     .299     .314     .285 


26 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  INTELLIGENCE  RATIOS  BY  AGES 
10;859  cases 


Age 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

Score 

00 

10 

13 

4 

0 

1 

1 

.01-.  05 

114 

86 

59 

29 

14 

10 

7 

6 

1 

2 

0 

1 

.06-.  10 

113 

153 

110 

77 

45 

25 

13 

21 

10 

6 

2 

2 

.11-.  15 

92 

246 

148 

140 

107 

86 

47 

38 

34 

18 

4 

0 

.1(5-.  20 

68 

225 

198 

233 

186 

150 

116 

117 

80 

53 

16 

4 

.21-.  25 

55 

167 

194 

250 

183 

254 

212 

224 

189 

109 

23 

4 

.26-.  30 

27 

134 

217 

250 

295 

285 

259 

238 

220 

106 

22 

0 

.31-.  35 

17 

88. 

139 

204 

206 

231 

211 

240 

185 

82 

15 

5 

.36-.  40 

10 

35 

72 

133 

130 

142 

170 

161 

120 

40 

5 

0 

.41-.  45 

6 

22 

50 

70 

83 

85 

68 

108 

57 

19 

1 

2 

.46-.  50 

3 

9 

25 

30 

35 

29 

40 

34 

26 

6 

0 

.51-.  55 

0 

6 

12 

18 

12 

14 

14 

13 

6 

3 

0 

.56-.  60 

0 

5 

6 

5 

4 

5 

6 

4 

0 

.  . 

1 

.61-.  65 

1 

0 

2 

1 

3 

1 

6 

0 

0 

.  66-  .  70 

2 

1 

1 

Total  cases  516  1191  1237  1440  1304  1318  1169  1204  928  445   88   19 
Median   .121  .181  .235  .258  .280  .283  .297  .301  .294  .276  .260  .241 

The  reason  for  plotting  the  graphs  from  the  East  Cleve- 
land groups  only  instead  of  from  the  combined  ratings  of 
the  several  cities  is  because  that  city,  practically  without 
a  foreign  population,  represents  the  most  homogeneous  large 
group  of  any  of  the  groups  studied.  From  mere  inspection 
it  will  be  seen  that  the  ratings  of  the  East  Cleveland  children 
approach  more  closely  the  normal  probability  curve  of  dis- 
tribution in  the  first  one  or  two  grades  and  school  years 
than  do  the  ratings  by  the  several  cities  combined.  How- 
ever, for  all  other  grades  and  ages  the  combined  ratings  not 

27 


only  are  quite  as  nearly  normal  as  the  East  Cleveland  groups 
but,  in  consequence  of  their  much  larger  numbers  they  are 
much  smoother. 

Since  the  skewness  in  the  first  grades  and  ages  increased 
with  the  number  of  foreign  children  in  the  several  cities 
studied  it  is  very  highly  probable  that  this  skewness  for 
the  first  grades  and  ages  of  the  combined  groups  is  due 
to  the  presence  there  of  the  relatively  large  number  of 
children  who  did  not  understand  English.  Although  this 
test  "gets  across "  very  well  with  non-English  speaking 
people  who  understand  spoken  English,  neither  this  very 
simple  picture  test  nor  any  other  available  group  test  does 
justice  to  those  not  understanding  English.  Because  of 
this  fact  the  authors  of  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  are  now 
developing  a  test  which  presumes  to  be  a  measure  equally 
good  with  non-English  speaking  persons  not  understanding 
English  and  all  other  types  of  persons.  It  will  be  especially 
suited  to  members  of  Americanization  classes. 

GROUP  COMPARISON  BY  MEDIANS 

Ordinarily  groups  are  compared  in  terms  of  averages.  A 
measure  much  simpler  than  the  average,  a  measure  which 
to  most  means  about  the  same  as  the  average,  and  which, 
when  the  distribution  is  approximately  normal,  is  prac- 
tically the  same  as  the  average,  is  the  median.  The  median 
score  is  that  score  above  which  fall  as  many  cases  as  the 
number  of  cases  that  fall  below  it. 

Suppose  for  example,  nine  children  scored  as  follows: 
19,  17,  20,  23,  25,  24,  22,  21,  18.  Arranged  in  order  their 
scores  would  be  25,  24,  23,  22,  21,  20,  19,  18,  17.  Here  the 

28 


middle  case  is  21,  or  the  score  of  that  individual  above  whose 
score  as  many  cases  fall  as  the  number  who  fall  below  it. 
When  one  has  a  large  group  the  procedure  is,  in  general, 
the  same,  though  of  course  not  quite  so  simple. 

Now  let  us  compute  the  median  from  the  distribution: 

Raw  Score  Number  cases 

1-5  2 

6-10  5 

11-15  8 

16-20  5 

21-25  2 

Total  number  cases  22 

The  median  will  be  the  value  reached  by  counting  down 
11'  cases  or  up  11  cases.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  median 
raw  score  will  fall  somewhere  in  the  step  11-15.  Counting 
down,  7  cases  are  used  up  above  this  step  11-15.  Four 
more  cases  are  needed  out  of  the  8  cases.  Therefore  -f 
of  1  step  will  be  added  to  the  value  used  up.  One  step  equals 
5  points.  Then  f  of  5  equals  2.5.  Since  values  of  scores 
counting  down  increase,  the  median  is  11  plus  2.5  or  13.5. 

To  verify  this  median  let  us  count  upward.  Again  7 
cases  are  used  up  and  4  are  needed  out  of  the  group  of  8 
cases.  Therefore  -f-  of  1  step  equals  -f  of  5  or  2.5.  Since 
the  scores  decrease  in  value  counting  downward  the  median 
is  16-2.5  or  13.5. 

By  extending  the  lines  representing  the  median  of  each 
group  on  the  distribution  graphs  as  with  graphs  on  page  20, 
one  can  easily  see  how  much  each  group  reaches  or  exceeds 
or  falls  below  in  value  the  median  of  every  other  group.  In 
that  way  one  can  get  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  ratings  of  a 
whole  school  system. 

29 


One  can  also  compare  the  values  where  the  highest  number 
of  cases  fall.  This  measure  is  called  the  mode.  For  example 
for  grade  one  (East  Cleveland)  the  mode  by  raw  score  is 
at  11-15,  for  grade  two,  at  16-20.  It  will  be  seen  that  the 
mode  approximates  the  median.  If  the  distribution  were 
wholly  normal  these  two  measures  would  be  identical. 

WHAT  ARE   NORMS? 

A  test  does  not  mean  much  until  it  is  standardized  i.e., 
until  ratings  by  it  have  been  compiled  from  a  relatively 
large  number  of  representative  cases  from  each  age  and 
grade  for  which  that  test  is  designed.  The  average  or  the 
median  score  by  a  standardized  test  for  each  age  and  grade 
is  called  the  norm  or  standard  for  that  age  and  grade  by 
that  test.  By  virtue  of  its  norms  or  standards  is  a  test  said 
to  be  standardized.  The  norms  for  The  Myers  Mental 
Measure  are  in  terms  of  the  median  (see  pages  54  and  55.) 

Although  the  distribution  graphs  are  based  on  the  3,092 
cases  of  East  Cleveland  the  norms,  and  the  tables  from 
which  these  norms  were  derived,  are  based  on  15,241  cases. 
From  these  norms  one  reads  for  example  that  the  median 
first  grade  child  makes  a  raw  score  of  13  points,  and  intelli- 
gence ratio  of  .15;  the  median  fifth  grade  child  makes  a  raw 
score  of  39  points  and  an  intelligence  ratio  of  .29;  the 
median  child  of  8  years  makes  a  raw  score  of  23  points,  and 
an  intelligence  ratio  of  .24;  the  median  child  of  12  years 
makes  a  raw  score  of  44  points,  and  an  intelligence  ratio  of 
.30. 

Only  36  out  of  the  15,241  cases,  including  kindergarten 
and  first  grade  children,  failed  to  score.  This  means  that 

30 


this  same  scale  of  four  pages  which  is  so  difficult  that  no 
adult  has  ever  made  a  perfect  score  on  it,  is  at  the  same  time, 
so  easy  that  the  first  grade  child  almost  never  wholly  fails 
to  score.  Only  5  of  the  45  kindergarten  children  failed  to 
score.  However,  the  kindergarten  children  were  tested 
in  groups  of  from  2  to  6,  as  they  should  be  with  this  or  any 
other  group  intelligence  test. 

CORRELATION  WITH   STANFORD-BINET 

The  Myers  Mental  Measure*  was  checked  up  with  Stan- 
ford-Binet  on  about  300  school  children  pretty  equally 
distributed  throughout  the  grades,  with  a  correlation  of 
about  .80  for  each  grade.  For  the  respective  grades  the 
correlations  were  from  first  to  eighth  inclusive;  .81,  .83, 
.86,  .85,  .78,  .78,  .89,  .68.  With  the  first  four  tests  of  Alpha 
given  to  39  convalescent  soldiers  this  test  correlated  .91. 

These  high  correlations  for  the  respective  school  grades 
are  all  the  more  significant  since  they  are  obviously  on 
relatively  homogeneous  groups.  Had  the  correlation  been 
computed  regardless  of  grade  it  would  have  been  much 
higher.  | 

WHO  SHALL  INTERPRET  THE  RATINGS  OF  AN  INTELLIGENCE 

TEST? 

By  following  the  instructions  of  the  test  literally  almost 
anyone  can  give  a  group  test  with  precision,  but  inter- 
pretation of  the  ratings  require  considerable  skill.  The 

*A  Group  Intelligence  Test.  Caroline  E.  Myers  and  Garry  C.  Myers. 
School  and  Society,  Sept.  20,  1919.  Pp.  355-360. 

f  "A  Grave  Fallacy  in  Intelligence  Test  Correlations."  Garry  C.  Myers. 
School  and  Society.  May,  1920,  pp.  528-529. 

31 


superintendent  or  his  clinical  psychologist  or  expert  in 
measurements  are  usually  the  .competent  interpreters. 
Any  teacher,  however,  can  learn  a  great  deal  about  her 
children,  of  value  in  her  teaching,  by  studying  their  com- 
parative ratings  in  the  test,  especially  when  these  ratings 
are  reduced  to  intelligence  ratios.  Even  where  there  is  an 
expert  to  interpret  the  data,  the  teacher  should  have  in  her 
class  record-book,  opposite  the  name  of  each  child,  his 
intelligence  ratio  and  she  should  have  in  her  book  the 
norm  for  that  grade.  She  should  be  urged  to  check  up  con- 
stantly each  child's  school  progress  with  his  rating.  How- 
ever, the  teacher  should  be  cautioned  against  attempting 
individual  diagnoses  on  the  basis  of  such  ratings.  Each 
child's  rating  she  should  consider  merely  as  a  probable 
measure  of  his  ability  and  in  no  wise  as  a  final  perfect 
measure.  In  case  a  child's  school  progress  does  not  reason- 
ably correspond  with  his  intelligence  rating  he  should  be 
referred  to  the  clinician.  Furthermore,  neither  the  clinician 
nor  the  teacher  should  divulge  to  the  children  their  intelli- 
gence ratings. 

PITFALLS  IN  INTERPRETATION 

Too  many  teachers,  and  even  administrators,  look  upon 
intelligence  tests  as  a  kind  of  panacea  for  all  ills,  as  an 
infallible  measure.  There  is  a  tendency  to  interpret  a  score 
by  any  child  as  a  perfect  measure  of  that  child's  intelli- 
gence. Indeed  there  is  a  wide  tendency  for  teachers  and 
others  to  refer  to  the  intelligence  of  this  child  or  that. 

For  example,  "This  child  has  an  intelligence  of  43  or  of 
72"  is  a  type  of  a  current  bad  usage.  Instead  one  should 

32 


get  into  the  habit  of  saying,  "This  Child's  raw  score  by  The 
Myers  Mental  Measure/'  for  example,  "is  thus  and  so." 

USING  THE  RATINGS 

In  a  large  number  of  cases  intelligence  ratings  have  been 
made  and  left  to  go  unused.  Although  some  schoolmen 
may  find  such  ratings  a  kind  of  fashionable  ornament,  these 
ratings  are  justified  only  when  used. 

SELECTING  ABILITY  GROUPS  WITHIN,  GRADES 

In  general,  these  ratings  should  be  used  as  follows: 
Arrange  the  names  of  the  children  of  a  given  grade  of  a 
given  building  in  order  of  the  scores  of  those  children. 
For  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  the  scores  to  be  used  in  such 
grouping  are  the  intelligence  ratios.  Having  determined  the 
number  of  classes  and  their  respective  sizes  count  off,  begin- 
ning with  those  children  rating  highest,  the  number  of 
children  desired  for  the  brightest  class.  Then  count  off  the 
number  desired  for  the  next  brightest  class,  and  so  on  for  that 
entire  grade. 

After  a  few  weeks  those  children  advancing  in  their  school 
work  more  slowly  or  more  rapidly  than  their  section  would 
warrant  should  be  examined  by  the  clinical  psychologist 
and  reclassified  by  her  accordingly.  In  the  absence  of  a 
clinician  the  teacher's  careful  records  will  determine  the 
position  of  the  few  probable  misfits.  In  all  events  the 
teacher's  judgment  in  reference  to  such  "variable"  children 
should  be  taken  into  account. 


33 


REGROUPING  AT  PROMOTION 

It  would  seem  that  at  promotion  time  the  children  of 
each  ability  section  of  a  given  grade  would  naturally  be 
promoted  to  the  corresponding  ability  section  of  the  higher 
grade.  In  practice  it  is  not  so  simple,  since  the  number 
promoted  from  all  sections  within  a  given  grade  or  failing 
promotion  in  the  corresponding  sections  of  the  next  higher 
grade  is  not  always  the  same,  there  will  have  to  be  a  reshifting 
from  group  to  group  at  promotion. 

Here  is  the  scheme  for  promotion  of  ability  groups  worked 
out  with  illiterate  soldiers  by  the  authors  of  The  Myers 
Mental  Measure  for  the  War  Department,  which  scheme 
has  been  pretty  closely  adhered  to  in  practically  all  the 
Army  Americanization  Schools.* 

In  promotion,  pool  the  names  of  all  who  are  to  be  promoted 
to  a  given  grade  with  those  who  are  to  remain  in  that  grade. 
Opposite  each  name  place  the  original  intelligence  rating 
(the  intelligence  ratio  for  children  below  the  high  school) 
of  that  pupil.  Then  rank  these  names  in  order  of  their 
respective  rating,  and  beginning  with  the  highest,  count  off 
the  number  desired  for  each  successive  ability  group  as 
in  the  original  classification.  By  this  scheme  the  desired 
size  of  each  class  can  be  determined  exactly  and  the  ability 
grouping  in  accordance  with  intelligence  ratings  will  be  as 
nearly  perfect  as  possible. 

This  plan  does  not  necessitate  retesting.  Certainly  it 
would  not  be  desirable  nor  economical  to  test  children 

*  "Prophecy  of  Learning  Progress  by  Beta."  Garry  C.  Myers.,  Jr.  Ed. 
Psychol.  April,  1921,  pp.  228-231. 


34 


each  school  term.     However,  it  may  be  very  desirable  to 
test  them  every  few  years. 

ACCELERATION  OF  BRIGHT  CHILDREN  NOT  MOST  DESIRABLE 
What  shall  be  done  with  the  brighter  children?  There  is 
considerable  precedent  for  accelerating  them,  letting  them 
do  two  or  three  terms  of  work  in  one.  More  often  individu- 
als have  been  allowed  to  skip  grade  largely  on  the  strength 
of  their  intelligence  rating. 

The  authors  of  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  deplore  this 
attempted  solution  of  the  problem  of  the  bright  child 
because  it  tends  to  get  through  the  school  earliest  the  very 
children  who  ought  to  profit  most  by  staying  in  school 
longest,  and  who,  in  turn,  ought  to  get  most  in  school  for 
social  service.  In  other  words,  acceleration  of  the  bright 
child,  in  the  long  run,  is  a  loss  to  the  community. 

ENRICHMENT  OF  THE   CURRICULUM  WITHIN  EACH  GRADE 

ACCORDING  TO  ABILITY  GROUPS 

Instead  of  speeding  up  the  progress  through  the  grades 
there  should  be  a  broadening  and  enriching  of  the  course 
of  study  within  each  grade,  for  the  brighter  children.  Let 
that  be  specified  in  black  and  white  just  as  the  regular  tradi- 
tional curriculum  for  Grade  II,  for  example,  is  specified. 
Then  for  the  next  higher-ability  group  let  there  be  just  as 
specific  a  course — the  minimum  requirement  plus  certain 
very  definite  work  for  this  second  section.  For  the  next 
higher  section  let  there  be  the  requirement  of  this  second 
ability  group  plus  a  specific  addition.  Let  each  addition 


35 


be  in  terms  of  breadth  and  not  a  reaching  over  into  fields 
of  a  higher  grade;  and  by  all  means  let  the  requirement  for 
each  ability  group  be  put  down  specifically  and  let  these 
requirements  be  strictly  adhered  to. 

This  will  mean  that  in  the  long  run  the  grades  earned  by 
the  best  section  will  not  be  higher  than  the  grades  earned 
in  a  lower  section.  It  will  mean  that  a  child  in  the  best 
section  may  fail  promotion  as  well  as  the  child  of  a  lower 
section,  or  he  may  be  shifted  to  a  lower  section,  if  he  fails 
to  measure  up  to  the  high  standard  of  his  section. 

SCHEME   PRESUPPOSES   UNGRADED   CLASSES   FOR   LOWEST 

DEVIATES 

Ordinarily  the  lowest  rating  section  will,  on  the  whole,  be 
more  inferior  to  the  next  ability  group  than  this  group  will 
be  inferior  to  its  next  higher  group,  because  of  the  extremely 
low  cases  who  hardly  adapt  themselves  at  all  to  school 
procedure.  Consequently  there  is  needed  in  each  building 
of  ten  or  more  rooms  an  ungraded  class  to  include  these 
deviates  of  low-grade  intelligence  in  order  to  free  the  lowest 
sections  of  each  grade  from  their  burden,  and  in  order  to 
make  these  children  happier  by  giving  them  the  kind  of 
activity  they  can  best  profit  by. 

RIGHT  USE  OF  INTELLIGENCE  RATINGS  WILL  MEAN  SOCIAL 

RESPONSIBILITY 

This  will  mean  social  responsibility  in  terms  of  capacity. 
The  child  who  falls  in  the  upper  groups  will  readily  get  the 
idea  that  by  virtue  of  his  being  in  that  group  much  more  is 
expected  of  him,  that  after  all  society  not  only  will  expect 

36 


more  of  him  but  will  demand  more.  His  only  distinction 
for  being  in  the  best  section  will  be  the  opportunity  for  more 
work.  By  such  procedure  the  intelligence  test  becomes  a 
tool  for  wider  and  more  effective  democracy. 

WRONG  USE  OF  INTELLIGENCE  TESTS  ARE  A  SOCIAL  DANGER 
Unfortunately  very  often  when  there  has  been  division  of 
grades  into  ability  groups  all  the  different  ability  sections 
have  had  practically  the  same  work  to  do.  This  means 
that  the  teacher  and  the  children  of  the  better  sections 
could  attain  a  high  grade  of  work  with  but  small  effort. 
It  means,  too,  that  those  of  the  better  sections  learn  to  look 
upon  themselves  as  superior  individuals  with  consequent 
freedom  from  certain  drudgery  of  their  unfortunate  neigh- 
bors of  the  lower  ability  group,  and  with  the  opportunity 
to  exaggerate  their  awareness  of  superiority  by  earning 
higher  grades.  Snobbery,  on  the  part  of  the  children  of  the 
better  group,  and  jealousy,  and  all  sorts  of  unrest,  on  the 
part  of  the  parents  of  the  children  in  the  lower  groups  is  the 
inexorable  consequence.  The  children  of  the  lower  groups 
are  stamped  as  all  the  more  inferior.  The  administrator 
consequently  has  his  troubles,  for  there  is  a  scramble  by  the 
solicitous  parents  to  have  their  children  stamped  as  superior, 
and  certainly  not  to  be  "  stigmatized  "  as  inferior. 

Since  the  greater  percentage  of  the  children  from  the 
highest  social  and  economic  group  fall  into  the  brightest 
class  and  the  greater  percentage  of  the  children  from  the 
lowest  social  and  economic  group  fall  into  the  dullest  class,* 
the  problem  becomes  all  the  more  acute. 

*  "  Comparative  Intelligence  of  Three  Social  Groups  within  the  Same 
School."  School  and  Society,  April  30,  1921,  pp.  536-539. 

37 


SOLUTION  OF  THE  PROBLEM 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  for  each  ability  group  within  each 
grade  there  is  a  specifically  prescribed  course  increasing  in 
breadth  and  richness  with  the  ability  of  the  groups,  the 
solution  is  rather  simple.  The  anxious  parent,  then, 
whose  child  is  classed  in  the  lowest  group,  and  who  insists 
that  his  child  belongs  in  the  highest  group,  can  be  made 
to  see  that  that  child,  although  able  to  pass  his  grade  in  the 
lowest  section,  would  fail  to  make  his  grade  in  the  bright- 
est section.  This  parent  can  be  convinced  that  his  child  is 
where  he  belongs.  Let  him  not  only  see  his  boy  recite 
where  he  is  in  the  lowest  section,  but  let  that  parent  become 
familiar  with  how  much  more  would  be  expected  of  the 
child,  as  indicated  by  the  curriculum  definitely  prescribed, 
if  that  child  were  in  the  brightest  section.  Moreover,  let 
such  a  parent  actually  see  the  children  of  the  brighter 
section  at  work. 

A  MATTER  OF  EDUCATING  TEACHERS  AND  THE  PUBLIC 
Support  of  the  heartiest  nature  will  back  up  this  program 
and  result  in  the  right  kind  of  education  of  the  teachers  and 
the  public.  What  we  need  is  the  revamping  of  the  whole 
school  system  so  that  there  will  be  ability  groups  for  wrhom 
in  each  grade,  throughout  that  whole  school  system,  there 
will  be  a  properly  adjusted  curriculum  commensurate  with 
the  ability  of  the  several  groups. 

ADVANTAGES  TO  CHILDREN  OF  ABILITY  GROUPING 
Provided  of  course  the  curriculum  is  so  adjusted  as  to 
properly  enrich  the  work  for  these  brighter  children,  the 

38 


children  from  whom  should  come  the  bulk  of  the  leaders  of 
the  community,  the  bright  children  should  profit  most  from 
ability  grouping. 

ADVANTAGES  TO  THE  BRIGHT  CHILD 

Teachers  do  not  always  find  the  bright  child.  Some- 
times the  whole  school  fails  to  discover  him.  The  bright 
child,  just  because  of  his  superior  ability,  may  discover,  in 
the  first  few  weeks  of  school,  that  what  his  classmates  do  is 
so  commonplace  as  to  be  beneath  the  dignity  of  his  effort. 
Thus  with  wounded  pride,  such  a  child  may  not  only  grow 
listless  but  actually  may  build  up  habits  of  defense  where 
he  definitely  tries  to  become  oblivious  to  the  monotonous 
routine  of  the  school.  Consequently  there  comes  a  time 
when  those  his  inferior  classmates,  by  dint  of  mere  repetition 
and  exposure  to  class  routine,  master  the  school  requirements 
to  a  point  where  the  content  and  technique  may  be 
beyond  this  bright  child.  This  bright  child  may  be  all  the 
more  annoyed  by  the  fact  that  those  he  is  sure  are  of  less 
ability  have  mastered  what  by  him  is  not  easily  handled. 
Such  a  bright  child  may  appear  to  the  teacher  as  a  hopeless 
child  and  indeed  almost  stupid. 

If,  on  the  other  hand,  that  child  had  been  stimulated  to 
expend  a  reasonable  amount  of  effort  from  the  beginning 
and  had  developed  a  correct  attitude  and  correct  habits  of 
school  procedure,  his  rare  ability  might  easily  have  been 
realized  by  appropriate  development. 

It  is  not  enough  that  a  test  check  up  pretty  well  with 
teachers'  judgments.  If  the  measure  of  a  good  test  were 
that  test's  ability  to  check  up  by  its  scores  with  the  judg- 

39 


ment  of  the  teacher  then  intelligence  testing  would  hardly 
be  justified.  The  chief  sendee  of  an  intelligence  test  is  to 
find  ability  that  the  teacher  is  not  likely  to  find.  In  other 
words,  a  good  test  ought  to  tell  what  a  child  can  do  rather 
than  what  he  has  done  or  will  do.  Once  rare  ability  is 
discovered  it  is  the  teacher's  job  to  see  that  such  ability 
develops. 

It  is  not  always  an  easy  job  to  develop  the  bright  child. 
Even  though  the  teacher  knows  a  certain  child  has  superior 
ability  she  may  have  difficulty  with  that  child,  especially 
if  he  has  been  discovered  only  after  he  has  gone  pretty  far 
through  the  grades.  By  that  tune  his  habits  of  listlessness 
and  indifference  may  be  so  fixed  that  he  will  not  be  reached 
by  the  ablest  teacher.  Such  a  child  should  have  been 
found  in  the  first  grade  and  never  should  have  been  allowed 
to  develop  his  bad  attitudes.  Hence  the  obvious  desirability 
of  classifying  children  on  entering  school. 

ADVANTAGES   TO   THE    MEDIOCRE   CHILD  WHO  is  OVER- 
INDUSTRIOUS 

Perhaps  most  of  the  nervous  breakdowns  in  school  are 
among  the  children  of  mediocre  ability.  Such  children, 
endowed  with  unusual  industry,  are  keenly  sensitive  to  the 
suggestion  of  anxious  parents  and  friends  to  the  end  that 
they  feel  they  must  rank  high  or  among  the  best  in  their 
class.  By  undue  expenditure  of  effort  these  children  some- 
times do  attain  to  high  rank  and  even  to  the  first  place  in 
their  class.  But  it  is  at  a  tremendous  cost.  In  such  cases 
industry  is  mistaken  for  native  capacity  to  learn.  Cer- 


40 


tainly  a  good  many  unhappy  boys  and  girls,  especially  of 
the  adolescent  age  number  among  this  group  of  unfortu- 
nates. 

An  intelligence  rating,  then,  will  often  suggest  that  certain 
individuals  are  scoring  too  high  in  school  performance.  If 
such  ratings  are  properly  checked  up,  they  afford  the  teacher 
and  principal  the  kind  of  information  that  ought  to  be  a 
great  blessing  to  that  kind  of  child.  Not  only  will  the  school 
seek  to  guide  that  child  to  expend  less  energy  at  learning  but 
every  effort  will  be  used  to  help  the  parents  and  friends  to 
see  the  danger  of  their  urging  him  on  unduly. 

ADVANTAGES  TO  THE  DULL  CHILD 

The  low-grade  child  will  also  profit  by  classification  into 
ability  groups.  Of  course  one  hears  on  every  side  that  by 
such  grouping  the  children  of  lower  ability  will  lose  by  the 
absence  of  the  stimulating  influence  of  the  brighter  children. 
But  this  argument  is  ill  founded.  In  the  first  place,  in  the 
traditional  school,  the  brightest  children  are  so  superior  to 
the  dullest  children  that  the  latter  cannot  hope  to  compete 
at  all.  Their  inferiority  is  multiplied  in  their  own  eyes 
because  of  the  display  of  the  bright  children's  excelling 
ability.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  dull  child  is  with  those 
more  nearly  of  his  level  of  intelligence  he  is  not  so  often 
discouraged.  Moreover,  just  because  there  are  others  in 
his  class  of  like  ability  his  lessons  necessarily  are  far  more 
easily  within  his  reach.  Consequently  he  can  learn  more 
and  feel  happier  in  doing  so  than  while  in  the  traditional 
class. 


41 


WHAT  OF  THE  SINGLE  CLASS  SCHOOL  GRADE? 

In  case  there  is  only  one  class  to  a  grade  in  a  given  build- 
ing or  a  school  system,  obviously  there  would  be  two  or  more 
ability  sections  within  that  class  selected  just  as  if  they  were 
separate  ability  classes  of  the  same  grade. 

INTELLIGENCE  RATINGS  IN  COUNTRY  SCHOOLS 

In  the  ungraded  district  school  the  problem  of  intelligence 
classification  grows  more  complex.  Although  the  teacher 
cannot  well  increase  her  groupings,  if  she  has  several  grades, 
she  can  find  early  those  of  marked  ability  and  encourage 
them,  and  stimulate  them  to  high  activity.  Likewise  she 
can  find  in  the  ratings  reasons  why  certain  children  have 
failed  to  make  progress  in  spite  of  great  care  and  effort 
on  her  part.  Just  because  it  applies  to  all  ages  and  grades 
The  Myers  Mental  Measure  is  well  adapted  to  ungraded 
rural  schools.  Within  about  25  minutes  all  the  children  of 
such  a  school  can  be  tested  as  a  single  group.  A  number  of 
entire  counties  have  been  surveyed  by  it.  For  the  same 
reason  this  test  has  proved,  in  the  several  states  where  it  is 
being  used,  to  be  very  well  suited  for  use  in  corrective 
and  penal  institutions  in  classifying  learners  into  ability 
groups  for  school  training. 

ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  USE  OF  INTELLIGENCE  TESTS  TO  THE 
SUPERVISOR  AND  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATOR 

By  the  aid  of  intelligence  tests  the  administrator  can 
evaluate  his  school  product  much  more  accurately  than  he 
can  without  their  use.  If,  for  example,  he  finds,  by  means 
of  the  best  standardized  educational  measurements  that  one 

42 


class  or  one  school  is  superior  or  inferior  to  another  class  or 
school  how  is  he  to  know  the  cause  of  such  disparity?  The 
tendency  often  used  to  be  to  assume  that  the  difference  was 
a  matter  of  the  schools  and  in  the  last  analysis  a  matter  of 
the  teachers.  But  by  the  use  of  intelligence  tests  it  has 
been  found  that  such  differences  are  often  attributable  to 
differences  in  native  abilities  of  the  children  compared. 
When  children  are  divided  into  ability  groups  within  each 
grade  the  results  obtained  by  each  group,  of  course,  can  be 
expected  to  be  in  proportion  to  the  abilities  of  the  several 
groups.  Any  variation  can,  for  the  most  part,  be  located 
in  the  teaching.  Therefore,  by  knowing  the  relative  intel- 
ligence rating  of  the  several  classes  of  a  given  grade  the 
supervisor  and  administrator  can  be  able  to  evaluate  pretty 
accurately  the  relative  merits  of  the  teachers  of  that  grade. 
This  obviously  promotes  fairness  to  the  teachers. 

ADVANTAGES  TO  THE  TEACHER 

By  promoting  fairness  to  the  teacher  from  the  supervisor 
and  school  administrator,  teaching  morale  and  consequent 
efficiency  will  inexorably  heighten.  Moreover,  the  teacher 
can  better  evaluate  her  own  efforts  by  checking  up  the 
school  progress  of  each  child  with  his  intelligence  rating  and 
by  comparing  his  class  rating  and  class  achievement  with 
those  of  other  classes.  She  is  always  eager  to  know  whether 
this  child  or  that  is  getting  along  as  rapidly  as  he  should 
and  sometimes  suffers  grave  anxiety  about  certain  children 
doing  very  poorly  in  school.  An  intelligence  test  reveals 
to  her  that  such  children  usually  are  low  in  abilities  and  con- 
sequently should  not  be  expected  to  make  much  progress. 

43 


On  the  other  hand,  she  may  also  discover  that  a  few  such 
children  have  considerable  ability  and  as  a  result  she  will 
set  about  with  renewed  effort  and  varied  methods  to  develop 
them.  At  any  rate  the  information  from  an  intelligence 
test,  which  as  a  rule,  is  more  reliable  than  her  judgment, 
will  greatly  decrease  her  anxieties,  increase  her  efficiency 
and  add  to  her  encouragement. 

ADVANTAGES  TO  THE  INDUSTRIAL  EMPLOYER 

Intelligence  ratings  aid  the  employer  to  pick  out  his 
potentially  ablest  men  early.  Especially  is  this  true  where 
the  type  of  work  is  such  as  to  admit  and  develop  unskilled 
persons,  from  whom  it  is  desired  to  pick  foremen  and  other 
leaders.  Because  it  is  independent  of  school  experience  and 
applies  to  all  ages  The  Myers  Mental  Measure  works  par- 
ticularly well  with  unskilled  laborers. 

GENERAL  DIRECTIONS  TO  EXAMINERS 

1.  Up  to  and  including  the  fourth  grade,  all  children 
should  be  tested  in  their  regular  class  rooms.  In  case  of 
overcrowded  rooms  the  proper  number  of  children  should  be 
removed  therefrom,  These  overflow  children  from  several 
grades  can  be  assembled  in  any  available  room  to  be  tested 
together.  In  like  manner  those  children  absent  on  the 
day  of  the  test  and  those  entering  school  subsequent  thereto 
can,  on  a  later  date,  all  be  assembled  for  the  test  regardless 
of  grade.  From  the  fifth  grade  upward  as  many  as  can  be 
comfortably  seated  at  appropriate  writing  places  (prefer- 
ably in  every  other  seat)  in  the  assembly  hall,  regardless  of 
the  number  of  grades  included,  can  be  tested  at  one  time. 

44 


2.  The  room  should  be  as  quiet  as  possible,  devoid  of 
disturbances.    The  door  should   be  closed.    The  teacher 
or  any  other  person  should  not  be  allowed  to  walk  about  the 
room  looking  over  the  children's  papers  while  they  are  at 
work. 

3.  The  desk  should  be  cleared. 

4.  Each  child  should  be  provided  with  two  sharp  pencils. 

5.  The  children  should  be  made  to  feel  at  ease. 

6.  Children,  as  well  as  adults,  should  know  from  the  out- 
set, by  the  examiner's  attitude,  that  no  fooling  will  be  tol- 
erated. 

7.  Let  the  examiner  proceed  in  a  quiet  but  effective  man- 
ner with  a  voice  in  moderate  pitch,  giving  the  directions 
slowly,  clearly,  and  distinctly. 

8.  The  examiner  should  avoid  undue  haste  or  anything 
that  will  annoy  or  excite  those  to  be  examined.     Neither 
should  he  pause  unduly  between  tests. 

9.  There  should  be  strict  precaution  against  copying. 

10.  Below  the  fifth  grade,  age  records,  to  be  accurate, 
should  be  got  from  the  school  office. 

11.  Because  the  first  grade  is  the  hardest  to  test  it  is  best 
for  the  examiner  to  begin  with  about  the  third  grade,  then 
proceed  downward  to  the  first  grade,   and  then  upward 
from  the  fourth  grade.     It  is  never  well  to  test  from  the 
highest  grades  downward  because  of  coaching  dangers. 

12.  The  examiner  must  be  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
directions,  so  that  he  can  accurately  read  them  with  ease. 
There  is  no   objection  to  memorizing  them  if  they  are 
learned  verbatim.     Any  variation,  however,  by  addition 
to  the  specific  directions  of  the  test,  subtraction  from  them, 

45 


or   modification,    will   render   the  .^ratings   of  questionable 
accuracy. 

13.  There  should  be  as  few  examiners  as  possible  to  test  a 
given  system  in  the  same  day  or  half  day.* 

All  examiners  of  a  given  system  should  be  coached  by  the 
superintendent,  or  a  competent  person  designated  by  him, 
in  giving  the  test  in  exact  accordance  with  directions. 

14.  Time  should  be  recorded  with  great  precision,  exactly 
to  the  second,  and  from  the  word  "Go."    A  stop  watch  is 
essential.     In  the  absence  of  a  good  stop  watch,  one  with  a 
second  hand  may  be  substituted,  if  read  with  great  accuracy. 
No  one  should  presume  to  count  seconds  without  a  watch. 

15.  Inquiries  by  the  children  or  adults  at  the  close  of  the 
test  in  respect  to  correct  answers  should  unoffensively  be 
ignored. 

16.  The  scoring  can  be  done  by  clerical  aides  or  anyone 
able  to  follow  the  directions  accurately;  but  the  directions 
for  scoring  must  be  followed  to  the  letter  regardless  of  what 
may  seem  to  the  scorer  to  be  right  or  wrong.    As  a  rule  a 
teacher  should  not  score  the  papers  of  her  own  children. 
In  case  the  teachers  do  the  scoring  it  is  recommended  that, 
in  any  large  school  building,  teachers  be  divided  into  squads 
of  four,  with  each  one  of  the  squad  responsible  for  a  page. 
All  combining  and  adding  of  scores  should  be  checked  up  by 
a  second  individual. 

*  Supt.  W.  H.  Kirk  of  East  Cleveland  had  all  his  3,092  elementary  children 
tested  in  the  same  half  day. 


46 


THE  MYERS  MENTAL  MEASURE 

DIRECTIONS  .FOR  GIVING  THE  TESTS 

"We  are  going  to  give  you  some  papers.  We  will  lay 
them  on  your  desk  this  side  up.  (Examiner  demonstrating.) 
You  may  look  at  the  pictures  on  the  first  page  as  much  as 
you  wish  but  don't  turn  the  pages. 

"Now  write  your  name  at  the  top  of  the  page.  In  the 
next  space  write  the  number  of  years  you  were  old  at  your 
last  birthday.  (Examiner  pausing  until  all  have  finished.) 
Now  count  the  number  of  months  since  your  last  birthday 
and  put  that  number  in  the  next  space.  In  the  next  space 
write  your  grade.  (This  direction  can  be  given  only  to 
children  above  the  fourth  grade:  Age  records  for  children 
below  the  fourth  grade  should  be  got  from  the  school  office.) 

"  I  want  you  to  do  some  things  for  me.  Some  of  them  will 
be  very  easy  and  some  will  be  hard.  You  will  not  be  able 
to  do  all  of  them,  but  do  the  very  best  you  can. 

"I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  draw  some  lines  and  make  some 
marks.  Listen  closely  to  what  I  say.  Don't  ask  any  ques- 
tions and  don't  look  at  anybody's  paper  but  your  own." 

TEST  1 

(In  giving  directions  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  first  and 
second  grade  children  can  go  no  farther  than  row  seven,  and 

47 


third  and  fourth  grade  children  no  >  farther  than  row  nine 
on  this  page.    All  other  pages  given  just  as  to  upper  grades.) 

"Look  at  your  paper.  Just  below  where  you  have 
written  your  name  there  are  several  rows  of  pictures.  First 
you  will  be  asked  to  do  something  with  the  row  with  the  girl 
and  the  flowrer,  and  then  something  with  the  alligator,  toad, 
and  eagle,  and  then  something  with  the  row  of  fruit,  then 
something  with  the  row  beginning  with  a  cat,  and  then  the 
row  beginning  with  a  soldier;  and  so  on  down  the  page,  one 
row  at  a  time. 

"When  I  say  'Stop/  stop  right  away  and  hold  your  pencil 
up  so.  (Examiner  demonstrating.)  Don't  put  your  pencils 
down  to  your  paper  again  until  I  say  'Go.' 

(For  the  first  and  second  grades — "Now  let  me  see  if  you 
know  what  I  mean.  Pencils  up!  Go!  Pencils  up!  Go.") 
"Listen  carefully  to  what  I  say,  do  just  as  you  are  told  to  do. 
Remember,  wait  until  I  say  'Go'. 

"Now  pencils  up.  Look  at  the  row  with  the  girl  and  the 
flower.  (E.  pause  here.)  Draw  a  line  from  the  girl's 
hand  to  the  flower.  Go !  (Allow  not  over  5  seconds.) 

(With  Kindergarten  and  first  grade  instead  of  saying 
"Look  at  the  row,  etc."  say  "Put  your  finger  on  the  row.") 

"Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  row  with  the  alligator.  Make 
a  cross  above  the  alligator  and  another  cross  below  the 
toad.  Go!  (Allow  not  over  5  seconds.) 

"Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  row  of  fruit.  Draw  a  ring 
around  the  apple  and  make  a  cross  below  the  first  banana. 
Go !  (Allow  not  over  5  seconds.) 

"Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  row  beginning  with  a  cat. 
Draw  a  line  from  the  cat's  paw  that  shall  pass  below  the  duck 

48 


and  fish  to  the  mouth  of  the  rabbit.      Go!      (Allow   not 
over  5  seconds.) 

" Pencils  up!  Now  look  at  the  line  beginning  with  a 
soldier.  Draw  a  line  from  the  tip  of  the  soldier's  gun  to 
the  tip  of  the  sword  that  shall  pass  below  the  drum  and 
above  the  boat.  Go!  (Allow  not  over  5  seconds.) 

" Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  row  with  the  table.  Make  a 
cross  below  the  comb  and  then  draw  a  line  from  the  handle 
of  the  pitcher  above  the  clock  and  shoe  to  the  top  of  the 
barrel.  Go!  (Allow  not  over  10  seconds.) 

" Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  square  and  circle.  Make  a 
cross  that  shall  be  in  the  circle  but  not  in  the  square  and 
make  another  cross  that  shall  be  in  the  circle  and  in  the 
square  and  make  a  third  cross  that  shall  not  be  in  the  circle 
and  not  be  in  the  square.  Go!  (Allow  not  over  10 
seconds.) 

"  Pencils  up !  Look  at  the  row  with  the  two  pails.  Draw 
a  short  straight  line  below  the  middlesized  tree,  draw  a  circle 
around  the  cup  and  then  draw  a  line  from  the  top  of  the 
smallest  tree  to  the  top  of  the  largest  tree.  Go!  (Allow 
not  over  15  seconds.) 

(N.B.  Examiner — In  reading  don't  pause  at  the  word 
CUP  as  if  ending  a  sentence.) 

"Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  row  beginning  with  a  duck. 
Draw  a  line  from  the  tail  of  the  duck  above  the  fox  to  the 
feet  of  the  turkey  and  then  continue  the  line  below  the  tree  to 
the  nose  of  the  Indian  and  back  to  the  ear  of  the  fox.  Go ! 
(Allow  not  over  15  seconds.) 

(N.B.  Examiner  —  In  reading  don't  pause  at  the  word 
TURKEY  as  if  ending  a  sentence.) 

49 


"Pencils  up!  Now  look  at  the  row  beginning  with  a  pear. 
Cross  out  every  fruit  that  is  next  to  a  knife  but  not  next  to 
an  animal  or  book  and  make  a  cross  above  every  fruit  that  is 
next  to  a  book.  Go !  (Allow  not  over  15  seconds.) 

" Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  line  beginning  with  a  spider. 
Make  a  cross  below  every  spider  that  is  next  to  a  butterfly 
and  make  a  cross  above  every  butterfly  that  is  next  to  a 
spider  or  a  toad  but  not  next  to  an  elephant.  Go !  (Allow 
not  over  20  seconds.) 

"Pencils  up!  Look  at  the  row  of  circles.  Draw  a  line 
from  the  first  circle  to  the  last  circle  that  shall  pass  below 
the  second  and  fourth  circles  and  above  the  third  and  fifth 
circles — make  a  cross  in  the  first  circle,  a  cross  above  the 
fourth  circle  and  anything  except  a  cross  in  the  last  circle. 
Go!"  (Allow  not  over  20  seconds.) 

(Be  sure  the  page  is  not  turned  until  demonstration  chart 
for  Test  2  is  used.) 

TEST  2 

"Now  look  at  your  small  paper  like  this.  (E.  holding  one 
in  his  hand.)  Here  are  three  pictures — a  duck,  a  dishpan, 
and  a  shoe,  but  none  of  them  are  finished.  Who  can  tell 
me  how  to  finish  the  duck?  (After  some  child  has  given 
answer:)  Now  with  your  pencil  put  the  eye  in  the  duck. 
Who  can  tell  me  how  to  finish  the  dishpan?  Draw  the 
handle  on  the  dishpan."  (Proceed  in  like  manner  with 
the  shoe.) 

"Now  turn  over  your  large  sheet  this  way  (E.  folding  so 
that  only  page  2  is  visible)  to  the  picture  of  the  coffee  pot. 
Look  at  my  paper.  (E.  holding  up  proper  test  sheet.) 

50 


Here  are  a  number  of  pictures.  None  of  them  are  finished. 
Each  one  has  just  one  thing  missing.  Work  like  this 
(E.  demonstrating  by  pointing  to  each  picture  from  left  to 
right  in  the  first  three  rows).  Finish  as  many  as  you  can 
before  I  say  'Stop.'  Work  fast."  (Total  time  4  minutes.) 

TEST  3 

"Take  this  small  paper  again  and  turn  it  over  to  the  side 
with  the  tree  at  the  top.  Now  look  at  my  paper.  (E. 
demonstrating  by  slowly  pointing  from  left  to  right  of  each 
row.)  See,  it's  in  rows.  Look  at  your  paper  like  this.  In 
the  first  row  on  your  paper  there  are  two  things,  only  two, 
alike  in  some  way.  Who  can  tell  me  what  they  are? 
(Pause  for  response.) 

" Pencils  up!  We  will  draw  a  short  line  under  each  of  the 
trees.  Go!  Pencils  up!  In  the  next  row  there  are  three 
things,  only  three,  alike  in  some  way.  What  are  they? 
Draw  a  line  under  each  flower.  Go!  Pencils  up!  (Pro- 
ceed in  the  same  way  for  third  row,  always  giving  ample 
time  for  every  child  to  finish.  Before  doing  more  the 
experimenter  makes  sure  every  child  has  properly  marked 
each  item  of  the  demonstration  sheet,  helping  any  child 
who  has  not  succeeded.) 

"Now  turn  over  your  large  sheets.  You  have  a  picture 
of  a  log  at  the  top.  Now  don't  say  anything.  (With  small 
children  examiner  gesturing  with  hand  over  mouth.)  Now 
look  at  my  paper.  (E.  demonstrating  as  for  chart.)  See, 
the  pictures  are  in  rows.  In  each  of  these  rows  there  are  a 
number  of  things  alike  in  some  way.  Pencils  up.  Look  at 
the  row  beginning  with  a  log.  In  this  row  there  are  two 

51 


things,  only  two,  alike  in  some  way.:   Draw  lines  under  them. 
Go!     (Allow  not  over  5  seconds  for  any  row  in  test  3.) 

" Pencils  up!  In  the  next  row  beginning  with  a  robin 
there  are  two  things,  just  two,  alike  in  some  way.  Draw 
lines  under  them.  Go! 

" Pencils  up!  In  the  row  beginning  with  the  square  there 
are  two  things,  just  two,  alike  in  some  way.  Go! 

" Pencils  up!  In  the  row  beginning  with  the  oyster  there 
are  three  things,  just  three,  alike  in  some  way.  Go! 

" Pencils  up!  In  the  row  beginning  with  the  shoes  there 
are  three  things  alike  in  some  way.  Go!" 

"Pencils  up!-  In  the  row  beginning  with  the  umbrella 
there  are  three  things.  Go ! 

"Pencils  up!  In  the  row  beginning  with  the  piano  there 
are  four  things.  Go! 

"  Pencils  up!  The  next  row  begins  with  a  ladder.  In  it 
there  are  four  things.  Go ! 

"Pencils  up !  In  the  row  beginning  with  the  fish  there  are 
four  things  alike  in  some  way.  Go! 

"Pencils  up!  In  the  last  row  there  are  five  things.  Go! 
Pencils  up!" 

TEST  4 

"Turn  your  page  this  way  (E.  demonstrating).  You 
have  the  boy  and  grapes  at  the  top. 

"In  each  row  on  this  page  there  are  four  things,  only  four, 
alike  in  some  way.  Draw  lines  under  them  as  you  did  before. 
Begin  with  the  first  row.  When  you  get  that  row  done  do 
the  next  row,  then  do  the  next  row  and  then  the  next  row. 
Whole  page.  (E.  demonstrating  by  gestures  on  the  page.) 
Go!"  (Total  time  5  minutes.) 

52 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  SCORING 

Answers  are  considered  right  or  wrong.     No  partial  credits 
are  given.     A  good  scheme  is  to  have  for  each  scorer  a 
correctly  marked  test  sheet  with  each  unit  so  numbered  as 
to  indicate  credits  assigned. 
Test  1.— Direction  Test. 

No  credit  is  given  for  any  answer  in  which  more  is  done 

than  is  required. 
Underlining  in  place  of  crossing  out  or  a  straight  line 

instead  of  a  cross  is  wrong. 
Credits  Given.— 

To  row  1 — one  point;   to  rows  2,  3,  4,  5 — two  points 
each;   to  rows  6,  7,  8 — three  points  each;    to  rows 
9,  10 — five  points  each;    and  to  rows  11,  12 — ten 
points  each. 
Test  2. — Picture  Completion  Test. 

Any  way  of  clearly  indicating  missing  part  receives 
credit.     So  long  as  proper  missing  part  is  given, 
additional  parts  do  not  make  answer  wrong. 
Credits  Given.— 

To  coffee  pot,  saw,  tree,  stove  and  telegraph — one  point 
each;    to  clothes  on  line  and  man  at  mirror — two 
points  each;  to  all  other  pictures — five  points  each. 
NOTE. — Parts  missing — coffee  pot,  handle;    saw,  teeth; 
tree,  axe;    stove,  pipe;    telegraph,  wire  or  wires;    man  at 
mirror,  glasses  (one  glass  indicated  is  counted);   clothes  on 
line,   clothespins   on   line;    wringer,  clothes   coming  from 
wringer;   candle,  shadow  by  spool;  blocks,  shadow  length- 
ened or  two  blocks  added;  teakettle,  steam  from  spout  or 

53 


cover;  house,  smoke  from  chimney ;  ocean,  waves  on  water; 
boy,  tracks  on  snow. 

Test  3. — First  Common  Elements. 
Each  row  counts  one  point. 

NOTE — Correct  common  elements  in  order  of  rows. 
Dogs,  birds,  circles,  weapons,  footwear,  things  with  four 
legs,  musical  instruments,  animates  or  inanimates,  things 
that  give  light  or  things  to  eat,  squares  with  dot  in  center 
and  above. 

Test  4. — Second  Common  Elements. 

To  all  rows  up  to  9 — one  point  each;  to  rows  9, 10,  and 
11 — three  points  each;  to  rows  12,  13,  14,  and  15— 
five  points  each. 

NOTE. — Correct  common  elements  in  order  of  rows. 
Boys,  animals,  toys,  means  of  travel,  things  made  of  metal, 
things  to  eat  or  things  not  good  to  eat,  flying  things,  things 
found  in  the  kitchen,  things  of  glass,  things  of  wood,  meas- 
ures, bipeds,  harmful  animals,  scenes  of  summer,  deeds  of 
kindness. 

NORMS 

BY  GRADES  REGARDLESS  OF  CHRONOLOGICAL  AGES 

No. 
cases  45  1410  1447  1721  1630  1922  1495  1610  1550  311  249  160  810  493 

Grades  K       I       II      III      IV       V      VI     VII   VIII  IX  X    XI  XII  Col- 
lege 

Median 
raw 
score    6       13       19      27      34      39      44      48      52     56     59     62     63     69 

Median 

Intel- 
ligence 
ratio    .       .15     .20     .24     .28     .29     .30     .30     .31 

54 


BY  CHRONOLOGICAL  AGES  REGARDLESS  OF  GBADES 

Number  cases  516  1191  1237  1440  1304  1318  1169  1204  928  445  88 
Chronological  age 

(Mental  age)  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16 

Median  raw  score  10  16  23  29  35  39  44  48  50  49  50 
Median  intelligence 

ratio                          .12     .18  .24  .26     .28     .28     .30     .30  .29   .28  .26 

1.  These  grade  norms  are  for  the  end  of  the  .school  year. 
For  September  they  would  be  almost  a  grade  less. 

2.  In  interpreting  the  scores  by  ages  it  should  be  remem- 
bered that  only  the  ratings  of  the  elementary  school  children 
for  each  year  are  included.     From  the  twelfth  year  onward 
the  brightest  children  have  passed  from  the  grades  to  the 
high  school.     Hence  the  relatively  lower  ratings  for  the 
upper  ages  are  as  they  should  be. 

3.  From  the  table  entitled  "  Chronological  Ages  Regard- 
less of  Grades"  one  reads,  for  example;  "the  median  child 
6  years  old  scores  10  points;  the  median  child  10  years  old 
scores  35  points."     Or  reading  upwards,  "the  child  scoring 
10  points  has  a  Mental  Age  of  6  years,  the  child  scoring  35 
points  has  a  Mental  Age  of  10  years. " 

4.  Intelligence  ratio  equals  raw  score  divided  by  chrono- 
logical-age-in-months.     Intelligence   ratio    does   not   mean 
much  above  the  high  school  and  perhaps  is  not  worth  com- 
puting above  the  eighth  grade. 

5.  For  comparing  groups  use  raw  score;    for  classifying 
learners  use  intelligence  ratio. 


55 


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